Wicked actress left ‘literally shaking’ as she speaks out on ‘very gross’ and ‘harmful’ comments

Wicked actress Marissa Bode posted a lengthy TikTok after she noticed “aggressive” and “harmful” comments from viewers about her character Nessarose.

It might have only been a week but it’s reasonable to say that Wicked has been a smash hit. Though it did spark a viral meme, we have long heard how the Wicked set was the ultimate safe space with Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo at the helm championing openness and acceptance. Unfortunately, it seems a minority of viewers didn’t get the memo or the point of the movie.

Marissa Bode played Wicked’s Nessarose

@marissa_edob

Representation is important but that’s not the only thing that will save the disabled community. I need a lot of y’all (non-disabled people) to do the work. To dissect and unlearn your own ableism. Listen to disabled people. Follow other disabled people outside of just me. Read up on the disability rights movement/watch the documentary Crip Camp! I understand no one likes feeling like they’re being scolded. But true progress never comes with comfort. And that’s ok. #wicked #nessa 💗💚

♬ original sound – Marissa

Whether you’ve watched Wicked once or a dozen times, the film’s clear message is the oppression and persecution of those who are different, whether that be Elphaba with her green skin or the animals with their ability to talk. Despite that, “very gross” comments about Nessarose’s disability have become all too familiar on Twitter.

Her actress Marissa Bode took to TikTok after noticing viewer reactions to her character, and while she understands and appreciates that some might dislike her, she said that’s no reason to make “aggressive comments and jokes about Nessa’s disability itself.”

In the five-minute video, which she said was difficult to film and left her shaking, Marissa noted the complexities of Nessarose, pointing out that it’s the point of the film to challenge our perceptions of what makes someone wicked.

“I think Nessa is complex, but that’s the beauty of art. Wicked and these characters and the movie wouldn’t be what it was if there weren’t different opinions on the characters and who’s truly wicked or not,” she explained. “And not liking Nessa herself is OK. Because she is fictional, that’s totally fine.”

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Nonetheless, it’s not okay to make derogatory comments about Nessarose’s disability, as she explained: “It’s deeply uncomfortable because disability is not fictional. At the end of the day, me — Marissa — is the person that is still disabled and in a wheelchair. And so, it is simply a low-hanging fruit that too many of you are comfortable taking.”

Such comments about the film are said to include “wanting to cause harm and push Nessa out of her wheelchair” or that she “deserves her disability.”

Since posting, Marissa’s TikTok has amassed over 3.6 million views, nearly 600k likes and tons of comments a far cry from the negativity she was calling out.

Featured image: TikTok/Marissa Bode & Universal Pictures